Rock - what are you listening to?

[tweber]

Rory Gallagher - Photo-finish. Great album that seems overlooked. Cloak and Dagger and Shadow Play are true hard rock classics!

Not my favourite Rory lp but contains some of his big numbers: Shadow Play and Brute Force & Ignorance were live favourites.
Mississippi Sheiks & Last of the Independants are also great tracks.
A bit over produced in my opinion.

I don't think his studio lps really captured the magic of Rory in the same way that his live performances did, mind you there are gems on every one of the studio lps and I think he was a really underrated songwriter too, see Tatoo'd Lady for example.

I like Top Priority, Tatoo and Calling Card from his early period but also later stuff from Defender and Fresh Evidence when he was back recording more blues based material.

Just got this today and am stunned at how good it is: Cheers Dermot

The BBC sessions is also worth a listen imo: Has a live and a studio disc, not sure if it's available on vinyl

As an aside, I remember going to a memorial lecture on Rory by Marcus Connaughton here in Cork a few months after his death and they played some of the BBC live recordings on video. At the end, it got a standing ovation! Powerful stuff.

[cybot]

Enjoying this :)

Stage Struck, believe it or not, was another album I passed on because I instinctively felt it wasn't up to much. Calling Card for some weird reason I swapped for something else! The shame!!!!! Anyway it's on my 'buy back' list :)

Stage Struck isn't a bad album but his playing seems to lack the expressiveness of his other live albums. Calling Card I would rate as one of his very best albums - its more produced than the others and has bags of style.

'Notes From San Francisco' I hate! I simply cannot get into the studio or live album and I've tried! Maybe some day.....

I liked the studio disc but guess its down to differences of taste - I felt it could have been a hit album on US FM radio which I think he needed to ease back on the touring. I didn't understand why they tagged the live disc onto it as it comes two years later. Only connection is that it was also recorded in San F but I liked the version of Shadow Play a lot.

Now here's some stuff you should DEFINITELY hear :

The first one is an 10" ep selection from the Irish Tour cd box set and is only terrific with much better sonics than the live album and understandably so.....But it's ridiculously priced at €19.99!!!
Worth it though :)

Wow thats an interesting disc - I'm guessing its material also issued on disc 7 of last year's Irish Tour reissue, which I haven't bought yet!! I always liked the jam session of side four of the original release vinyl - Stomping Ground is an outstanding track.

The second one has been available stuck onto a DVD about Rory's life and is only amazing if you can put up with the slightly bass (read: '70's) heavy sonics. And......it's on double blue vinyl :)

Talking about the hard rock sound of Photo Finish recalls his first album for Chrysalis Against The Grain which sees a totally revitalised Rory strutting his stuff with a HUGE sound to match.
Brilliant :)

The Beat Club Sessions is an outstanding live album. I haven't seen/heard the DVD so thanks for the tip - I'll definitely look out for it. I liked 'Against The Grain' but felt it was slightly underwhelming compared to Tattoo and Calling Card (the albums before and aft) - however I haven't heard it properly on a good quality system so must check it out again!

Thanks for the Youtube link - great version of 'Could have had religion'. I think Gallagher actually wrote that song even though some releases list it as Trad Arr. A book on Gallagher said he was inspired to put the song together after reading some poetry.

Right I'll shut up even though there's another Lp I want to talk about; maybe later :)

I'm guessing a dedicated Gallagher thread might pop up soon! ;)

Wow I enjoyed all that!

Unfortunately I only have time for a brief reply :(

Here's a link for the DVD : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Blues-Sto ... +gallagher


Yes the ep is from the 6 disc box set.

Great reading from a very knowledgeable Amazon customer. Scroll down for more info. on the City Hall Sessions:


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Tour-74-R ... merReviews


Right have to go.....

[cybot]

Rory Gallagher - Photo-finish. Great album that seems overlooked. Cloak and Dagger and Shadow Play are true hard rock classics!

Not my favourite Rory lp but contains some of his big numbers: Shadow Play and Brute Force & Ignorance were live favourites.
Mississippi Sheiks & Last of the Independants are also great tracks.
A bit over produced in my opinion.

I don't think his studio lps really captured the magic of Rory in the same way that his live performances did, mind you there are gems on every one of the studio lps and I think he was a really underrated songwriter too, see Tatoo'd Lady for example.

I like Top Priority, Tatoo and Calling Card from his early period but also later stuff from Defender and Fresh Evidence when he was back recording more blues based material.

Just got this today and am stunned at how good it is: Cheers Dermot

The BBC sessions is also worth a listen imo: Has a live and a studio disc, not sure if it's available on vinyl

As an aside, I remember going to a memorial lecture on Rory by Marcus Connaughton here in Cork a few months after his death and they played some of the BBC live recordings on video. At the end, it got a standing ovation! Powerful stuff.

Ah Shane I'm thrilled you like the BCS :) He really is on fire and enjoying every second of it!

I've always loved the BBC sessions and I will have a fit if they ever release it on vinyl :)

The BBC video stuff is fantastic too....


I agree with you on the studio stuff vs live. Also he was a bloody good lyricist too.

[Rob]

I don't think his studio lps really captured the magic of Rory in the same way that his live performances did, mind you there are gems on every one of the studio lps and I think he was a really underrated songwriter too, see Tatoo'd Lady for example.

Agreed on his song writing ability - sometimes he wrote stuff that seemed a bit generic (as if acting as more a vehicle for the music) but on some occasions the lyrics are impressive. I think his second and final album with Taste (On the boards), and his two early albums (self titled debut and Deuce) really stand out in that regard. I feel his writing seemed to become more personal again about ten years later with Jinx, and reaches a peak with Defender which shows him as a real story teller.

I like Top Priority, Tatoo and Calling Card from his early period but also later stuff from Defender and Fresh Evidence when he was back recording more blues based material.

The BBC sessions is also worth a listen imo: Has a live and a studio disc, not sure if it's available on vinyl

Defender is a personal favourite but those other albums are excellent too. His first two albums also have a great feel to them.

[Rob]

Here's a link for the DVD : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Blues-Sto ... +gallagher

Thanks, will definitely look out for it. Think I picked it up on my radar before but I tended often not to bother with music DVDs - probably because I never invested in a good AV system! :/

Yes the ep is from the 6 disc box set.

Great reading from a very knowledgeable Amazon customer. Scroll down for more info. on the City Hall Sessions:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Tour-74-R ... merReviews

Right have to go.....

Very interesting reading - thanks for the link! Astonishing to think the gigs only came from Cork - I guess "Cork '74" doesn't have the same ring to it!! Only thing I would pedantically disagree with is the claim that the short Maritime track was stuck on the CD reissue of Irish Tour '74 instead of the great rendition of 'A Little Bit'. Its there on the original vinyl on Side Four, after 'A Little Bit' but was snipped off the original CD edition (issued circa 1988 with original style silver cover) because the playing time was too long presumably (at 79+ minutes) for the format. I think the dudes doing the reissuing in 1999/2000 then stuck the Irish Tour version of 'A Little Bit' onto the Tattoo reissue but edited it before the song peaks for some weird reason.

[tweber]

This compilation is a nice concept and showcases some of Rory's storytelling nicely too. He was a big Dashielle Hammet fan.

Nice bonus live album too from the Live in Cork gig (also available on DVD) which has great versions of Off the Handle , Continental OP and a few other goodies. Also on vinyl I think too

[cybot]

This compilation is a nice concept and showcases some of Rory's storytelling nicely too. He was a big Dashielle Hammet fan.

Nice bonus live album too from the Live in Cork gig (also available on DVD) which has great versions of Off the Handle , Continental OP and a few other goodies. Also on vinyl I think too

I knew it was out on vinyl but didn't know about the bonus live thing! Guess I'll have to check it out more closely :)

[cybot]

Here's a link for the DVD : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Blues-Sto ... +gallagher

Thanks, will definitely look out for it. Think I picked it up on my radar before but I tended often not to bother with music DVDs - probably because I never invested in a good AV system! :/

Yes the ep is from the 6 disc box set.

Great reading from a very knowledgeable Amazon customer. Scroll down for more info. on the City Hall Sessions:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Tour-74-R ... merReviews

Right have to go.....

Very interesting reading - thanks for the link! Astonishing to think the gigs only came from Cork - I guess "Cork '74" doesn't have the same ring to it!! Only thing I would pedantically disagree with is the claim that the short Maritime track was stuck on the CD reissue of Irish Tour '74 instead of the great rendition of 'A Little Bit'. Its there on the original vinyl on Side Four, after 'A Little Bit' but was snipped off the original CD edition (issued circa 1988 with original style silver cover) because the playing time was too long presumably (at 79+ minutes) for the format. I think the dudes doing the reissuing in 1999/2000 then stuck the Irish Tour version of 'A Little Bit' onto the Tattoo reissue but edited it before the song peaks for some weird reason.

Thanks for the info :)

[cybot]

Still no sign of my Taste IOW vinyl so listening to my original copy instead :)


The other one is a live recording by someone in the audience of a little known guitar player doing his thing in Cologne back in '69 ;)

[tweber]

This compilation is a nice concept and showcases some of Rory's storytelling nicely too. He was a big Dashielle Hammet fan.

Nice bonus live album too from the Live in Cork gig (also available on DVD) which has great versions of Off the Handle , Continental OP and a few other goodies. Also on vinyl I think too

I knew it was out on vinyl but didn't know about the bonus live thing! Guess I'll have to check it out more closely :)

Finally am I going to cost you money ;-)